What if the most memorable part of someone’s day wasn’t what you did—but how you made them feel?
Dave Weber has a remarkable ability to take an everyday interaction and uncover a powerful lesson about leadership, attitude, service, and the impact we have on the people around us.
In “Be a Marvin,” Dave shares an experience from an ordinary airport shuttle ride that became anything but ordinary. One driver, one short ride, and one intentional choice to bring enthusiasm, connection, and excellence completely changed the experience for everyone on board.
For dental professionals, the story asks us to consider an important question:
Are we simply doing our jobs—or are we creating experiences people will remember?
As you read Dave’s story, think about the “Marvins” within your own practice—and perhaps more importantly, how each of us has the opportunity to be a Marvin for our patients, our teammates, and everyone we encounter.
Be a Marvin
I had just finished an exhausting day of work. Three presentations -- in one day -- to three different customers -- all in one city. Everything had to go perfectly and, thankfully, it had. I was finally on my way home. I dropped off my rental car and, bone-tired, trudged over to catch the bus that would take me on a 15-minute ride to the airport.
As I climbed up the steps of the courtesy shuttle, I was met by the most amazing deep, baritone voice, “Welcome aboard your escape from everything. Sit back. Relax. And enjoy the soothing sounds of some of the best jazz you have ever heard. Let these notes carry you away to a peaceful place, a beautiful retreat, an idyllic get away. My name is Marvin but you can call me ‘Velvet’ because my voice and my ride is smooooooth.”
Needless to say, me and all the other bleary-eyed road warriors, looked at each other with an “Is he for real?” expression on our faces. “In case you hadn’t noticed Marvin… er, Velvet, this is a shuttle bus not a stretch limo.”
Oh, but Marvin was just getting started. He introduced each song on his playlist, gave interesting background information about the artists, asked if we had any requests, and even played mini trivia games with us. He got us all interacting with him and with each other.
It was amazing to watch! In less than 15 minutes he had transformed the “same old boring shuttle ride with a bunch of tired strangers” into a positive, upbeat, fun experience.
As we exited, every single passenger thanked Marvin (he was already up on his feet to high-five each one of us). He thanked us all for choosing his company, wished us all well in our endeavors, and asked that, when we returned, would we please, once again, allow him to serve us.
The lesson Marvin taught me that day had nothing to do with shuttle buses, jazz, or rental cars. It was about choosing to bring enthusiasm, excellence, and humanity to even the smallest interactions.
In dentistry, we have that same choice every day. We can simply perform our jobs, or we can create experiences that patients talk about long after they leave the office. The difference between a good dental practice and a truly memorable one is often not the dentistry itself. It's the people who go above and beyond to make others feel valued. Every practice needs a Marvin. More importantly, every one of us can choose to be one.
Will I do business with that car rental agency in the future? You bet I will! I’ll probably even wait an extra few minutes if the delay allows me to ride on Marvin’s bus.
DAVE WEBER
President/CEO Weber Associates